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Real Madrid vs. Elche: When is Kylian Mbappe coming back from injury and can Los Blancos survive his absence?

Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are still out injured, although midweek Federico Valverde picked up the slack with a hat trick

SportsBy Marcus ThompsonMarch 14, 20262 min read

Last updated: April 3, 2026, 6:21 PM

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Real Madrid vs. Elche: When is Kylian Mbappe coming back from injury and can Los Blancos survive his absence?

It's been a good week for Real Madrid. After winning the first leg of their round of 16 tie against Manchester City in the Champions League, next up is closing the gap with Barcelona in LaLiga. And then it's on to the second leg that will take place on Tuesday in England. Alvaro Arbeloa's side will face Elche in Madrid on Saturday, a key game for the LaLiga race. Before the game, the Spanish coach spoke to the media about the upcoming fixture and the injury status of Kylian Mbappe.

"I think he is getting better every day. The progress he is making follows the plan we set when we decided to pause, after conducting all the tests with the medical services and the physical preparation department. It is clear that it also depended a lot on his daily progress, but I see him doing very well. He will not be available tomorrow, but we are confident he will be ready to travel to Manchester." Here's what you need to know ahead of the game.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Elche, odds

  • Date: Saturday, March 14 | Time: 11 a.m. ET
  • Odds: Real Madrid -311; Draw +474; Elche +694

Real Madrid XI: Andriy Lunin; Daniel Carvajal, Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen, Fran Garcia; Eduardo Camavinga, Manuel Angel, Thiago Pitarch, Arda Guler; Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Jr.

Elche XI: Matias Dituro; Victor Chust, David Affengruber, Leo Petrot, Josan, Marc Aguado; Gonzalo Villar, Aleix Febas, Martim Neto; Andre Silva, Rafa Mir.

The team coached by Alvaro Arbeloa needs to continue their positive week after winning the match against Manchester City on Wednesday at the Bernabeu. Pick: Real Madrid 3, Elche 0.

MT
Marcus Thompson

Sports Correspondent

Marcus Thompson is a sports correspondent covering the NFL, NBA, and major American sporting events. A former college athlete and sports journalism veteran, he has covered five Super Bowls and multiple NBA Finals. His player profiles and game analysis are known for their depth and insight.

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